How to Prepare for Your First Prenatal
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Once you find out you’re pregnant, it’s important to get scheduled for your first prenatal visit as soon as you can. You may not be seen until closer to the middle or end of the first trimester (usually somewhere between weeks 6-12), but appointments can fill up quickly. It’s also helpful to let your care provider know you’re expecting, just in case anything comes up in early pregnancy. You can always contact them if you have questions or concerns before that first visit.
But, before you get on the phone to schedule your appointment, I want to emphasize the importance of care provider choice. When it comes to pregnancy, many people continue seeing whoever they’ve been seeing for routine gynecological care. It’s possible that provider will be a great fit, but it’s worth exploring whether or not that might be true. I encourage you to check into your options! Also, birth location is a decision that is intertwined with this.
If you do end up choosing a new care provider, make sure to have your medical records transferred to their office. Contact your current provider when you’re ready to start the process. You can also check out the link below to find out more:
🔗 Your Rights to Access Your Medical Records Under HIPAA | Verywell Health
Health Insurance
If you have health insurance, make sure you look into your specific policy. Insurance can sometimes limit care provider and birth location choice. Find out what you will be expected to pay so that you can plan.
If you don’t have insurance, make sure to check out this link:
🔗 Health coverage if you’re pregnant, plan to get pregnant, or recently gave birth | Healthcare.gov
Be aware that you can only sign up for health insurance during open enrollment periods or as a result of major life changes (like having a baby). You can apply for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) at any time, though.
Health History
Your provider will want to discuss your health history, as well as your family health history. It can be helpful to gather this information in advance. Your provider may provide you with a form or you can use this one:
🔗 Family Health History Form | March of Dimes
Current Medications
Many people take medications during pregnancy. If you have any questions or concerns before that first appointment, make sure to give your care provider a call. Some medications are contraindicated in pregnancy (and could even cause severe birth defects). For most, it comes down to informed decision-making regarding benefits and risks.
‼️ Important: Check with your care provider before starting or stopping any medications.
Supplements
It’s important to discuss any supplements you are taking, as well. Your nutritional needs change during pregnancy, so your care provider may recommend switching to a prenatal vitamin supplement at that point. While it‘s best to get necessary vitamins and minerals from foods, supplements can help you fill in any gaps.
A Note on Folic Acid
You can reduce the risk of neural tube defects (birth defects of the brain and spine) by ensuring you are getting 400 mcg of folic acid each day. If you haven’t been supplementing prior to this point, make sure you start right away. You can meet your daily needs by eating fortified foods and/ or taking a supplement.
While this a well-established and sound recommendation, you may hear individual health care professionals, nutritionists, and birth workers recommending supplements containing “natural food folate” instead. Check out my blog post for more on this:
Immunization Records
Your care provider can help you figure out if there are any vaccines you need. It can be helpful to bring an updated immunization record, if your care provider doesn’t already have this information. Check out the link below if you don’t know where to find yours:
🔗 Keeping Your Vaccine Records Up to Date | CDC
Safe and Healthy Pregnancy
It can feel like a long wait between finding out you’re pregnant and having that first prenatal visit. There’s also a lot of critical development happening with your baby. I want you to have access to the information you need and feel supported early on in pregnancy. Here’s a list of topics on safety and health:
After reading through the resources above, note down any questions and concerns you have to discuss with your care provider at your first prenatal visit. Also, consider any lifestyle changes you want or need to make now that you are expecting.
Looking for more information on navigating prenatal care? Check out my Proactive Pregnancy: Early Essentials for Expectant Parents toolkit! Click the button below to check it out!